A Ganger's Assistance
by bandnerd21
Summary: The Doctor knows what the Silence is, and it's after him. If he's to save the universe, he must do something he may consider immoral... But it may save the universe. R&R please :P
1. A Mission

A/N Alrighty, so I hadn't really been planning on writing another story after my Dog Sees God story (if you haven't seen the play, I wouldn't recommend reading it. Tis a little confusing.), but I was having a conversation about some possibilities for the new season of Doctor Who last night with BlinkingAngel and CharlieBrown1234 (go read their stuff, by the way) and BlinkingAngel mentioned this, so I claimed the right to turn it into a fanfiction ^.^ Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who... alas. But I don't think it would be as amazing if I did!

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><p>The Doctor was running. Faster and longer than he ever had before. But he couldn't stop, he couldn't ever stop. Amy, Rory, River… They were all counting on him. The universe was counting on him to come up with a brilliant plan and save them all. <em>Why am I always the one to be brilliant. <em>His eyes welled up, thinking of all the people he couldn't save, all the people he _wouldn't _save in the time coming.

"Sometimes I can't save them all. It doesn't work that way, and no matter what I do, people will always die." The Doctor wiped a tear away from his eyes in frustration.

The time for fun was long over, even before it had begun. He flew around the TARDIS, flipping switches and making sure, as he did ever since River pointed it out, to leave the parking brake on. The TARDIS shook, and the Doctor flew backwards, hitting his head on one of the pillars surrounding the control panel. She shuddered, and came to a noisy halt. Glaring at the offending pillar, he stood up and dragged himself to the door.

The putrid and familiar scent of acid and water mixing assailed his nose the second he stepped onto the moor, and he thanked Gallifrey that he ended up where he wanted to, for once. The sun shone; seemingly a sin on such a grim day. Flowers bloomed where once one would never have expected to find beautiful plant life. A cool breeze blew over him, ruffling his hair, and, by association, his fez. He strode through the muck, walking up to the door of the monastery. He raised his hand to knock, only to realize it wasn't necessary. The door opened, and the man standing before him nodded grimly, gesturing for him to enter. The Doctor looked around as he was led through the hallways, it was different—more populated—than before, and Ganger and human worked together. He allowed himself a small smile for the good works he's done, even if only by chance, and then shook his head. _It's never by chance. The TARDIS knows me better than I do. _A small sitting room had been added to one of the more secluded parts of the factory. The few people that were in it saw the two men enter and quickly cleared out; they were legendary.

They motioned for the other to sit simultaneously, chuckled quietly, and sat. In the exact same way, at the exact same time, with the same grim expressions lining their faces, eyes older than the universe. The Doctor adjusted his fez for a moment, finally deciding on its removal, and sighed.

"Doctor."

"Doctor," the Ganger questioned.

"I guess you know why I've come back here."

"Seeing as how you're just barely avoiding the crossing of your own timeline, I can only imagine it's important… Oh, I see… you need me."

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><p>AN alright, so a nice, short prologue. Whatdidja think? Rate and review, and I'll... I dunno... Love you forever? :)


	2. A Regret

A/N Yeah, don't expect this... I'm way to busy to do a chapter a day, sorry... But anyways, I'm pretty happy with this, and it's a little longer than the prologue. Sadly, these won't start getting longer until the next chapter because that's when the plot flies away! So... enjoy this, because I might update next week, or in 2 weeks. I'm not sure yet :) Band camp kind of keeps me away from the computer for the week (and if I see any "This one time at band camp" jokes in the reviews, I swear... 3)

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><p>He nodded; at least someone could understand. "It's the Silence. It's coming for me, for the universe. We thought that it was the Silents, the aliens controlling the humans, but, oh, it's <em>so <em>much bigger than that."

"And if it gets you, there's no hope for the rest of the universe. What you need—"

"—Is to drop off the radar, go into hiding, and the only way that's possible is—"

"—If you die." The finality of that statement hung in the air like an anvil ready to drop. "What do you need me to do?"

The Doctor opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again. He repeated this a few more times, each time finding it more and more difficult to form words. They caught in his throat like they were stuck by peanut butter. He didn't know what was wrong with him. Normally, he could say whatever came to his mind, usually without thinking about what he was saying. Now, though, the words and their meaning were stuck. He got to the point where he couldn't open his mouth to even make a sound until he changed what he wanted to say. Eventually, the words that flew out of his mouth were, "can we discuss this in the TARDIS?"

His Ganger—who now preferred to be called David Baker—got up and led the Doctor out of the factory, across the moor, letting the Doctor take them into one of the TARDIS' many spare rooms. Walking to the chairs in the center of the room, he ran his hand across the amber colored walls. Knowing the TARDIS, they might actually have been made out of real amber. There was a small glass tea table in between the two chairs holding an ancient Chinese teapot and cups. The Doctor could almost pretend they were having the tea that filled those cups, talking about the next great adventure, like visiting the talking rain about halfway across the galaxy. David cleared his throat, breaking the Doctor out of his reverie.

"Um, oh, I forgot my fez in the factory… I should go get that…" The Doctor stood up, before receiving a disapproving glare from David.

"Doctor," he warned, "you'll have to tell me."

"I'll be one second," the Doctor begged.

David said nothing, only looked at him, countering the Doctor's puppy dog eyes with a look of disappointment.

"How about some tea, then," the Doctor suggested. Once again, David only looked at him.

The Doctor sighed and sat back down, slowly easing into the large maroon armchair, eyes older than ever before. "Ah, yes, right. Well, you see there's a girl," he started, wondering how much he sounded like a teenage boy, "and she's from my future… and my past—"

"River Song," coaxed David.

"Yes, her. And she's Amy's daughter, but there's something more… It's unclear at this point, but there are people who want to use River as a child because she's part Timelord. I have an idea, but it's a long-shot in the dark…"

"You mean you think _they _are the Silence?"

"Exactly. You know me so well!"

David smiled wryly and laughed. "Maybe a little too well, eh?"

"Difficult to say, _Doctor_."

"I told you, I go by David, now."

"Doesn't mean I'm going to stop calling you Doctor, _Doctor_."

David grumbled about the insensitivity of thousand-year-old Timelords for a few moments before growing serious again. "So," he began, "what do you intend to do to throw them off your trail that has to do with… Right, of course."

"So you see my dilemma." The Doctor sighed resignedly. There was no easy way to say something like this, he could only hope that David knew what he was thinking.

"Yes, you think this is the only way, but the entire principle disgusts you, goes against most of your moral cornerstones."

"Precisely, so I can't possibly—"

"I don't have that problem. I'll do it."

"But you, you're _living, _with your own life, friends—"

"I can take your place. I'll die, if only because the universe needs you."

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><p>AN So... didja liiiiike it? Didja looooove it? Or did you hate, cause if you did, please be honest, but gentle. AND REVIEW! (Cause guess what, I only got ONE REVIEW last chapter, gosh darn you! Sorry to BlinkingAngel, by the way, because I edited this and reuploaded it, so her comment didn't show up on my new one, so technically two reviews... but STILL! Come on, authors thrive on feedback, you know that!) Ok, I'm done rambling, and in my defense, it's late, and I have to spend 7 hours at my high school for band camp tomorrow! Thanks, and see ya next chapter :)


	3. A Realization

Alright, so I felt bad for not updating all last week... And BlinkingAngel has been bugging me about a new chapter... So,I present to you... **a properly angst-filled FILLER! **_cue applause _I know, truly amazing. It's probably the longest chapter I've posted yet, too, so please be happy! :)

Oh, and some thanks: EVERYTHING..is.-Hope you like everything! My idea of what the Silence is is kinda... out there, but I'd love to hear what your ideas are! (I think it's bigger than just the monster from the first 2 episodes of season 6, but that's just me...)

Vilinye-Thanks for reviewing twice! I hope this fleshes out things a bit more... very angsty, but I think it gives a little more insight into David's POV of things, seeing as this chapter is mostly from his... Enjoy!

thsoundofdrums-Thanks so much! and, luckily, I survived band camp to bring you this chapter! With our first football game a week from Friday... Oh boy! I'll try to get the next chapter up before then or right after, you know how things get once competitions start!

Oh, and I forgot to say last chapter, but do I *look* like Steven Moffat? No, because for one thing I'm probably around half his age and female. so it goes without saying that I do not own the good Doctor. I'm very sorry, but if I did, David Tennant would not have quit... ^.^

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><p>David gazed at the Doctor, the sadness lining his face, the darkness in his eyes. There was more, a deep, never-ending anger reverberating throughout his body. He had never seen the Doctor so angry, so livid. His hearts clenched at the thought of the Doctor making these decisions.<p>

"Doctor, you know that even though I'm _alive, _I'm not living. Not really." Blatant lie though this was, David hoped it would reassure the Doctor. He should have known it was a futile effort.

The Doctor shook his head, tears threatening to spill over, and ran his hands through his already mussed hair. "No, it doesn't _work _like that! You-you're _alive_! You're living, breathing, you have a _heartbeat_!"

"Two to be precise," David corrected automatically and immediately regretted it. _Why can't I just keep my fat mouth shut? Oh, right, I'm a copy of the doof in a fez sitting in front of me... And doof is lovingly, of course. But still! I can be a real idiot sometimes_

The Doctor looked stricken. "_Two? Oh, you've got two, that makes this so much better…_"

"I. Don't. Matter. Doctor, if you die, the universe falls with you. If I die, nothing happens." The Doctor tried to interrupt, but David silenced him with a wave of his hand. "Really, now. Who misses me? I am nobody. You are everything, to the universe, to Amy, to Rory… River." The Doctor winced, "How many others do you think love you? The list goes on and on. Do you think Susan ever forgot you? What about Sarah Jane? Romana? Your newest friends, Rose," the Doctor winced again at the mention of her name, "Martha, Donna? What would they think if you died? Would they honor your memory, Doctor, if you sacrificed yourself for nothing? How much respect would they hold for you if you died because you were afraid of sacrificing someone who didn't mind dying?"

"I don't kill people." The Doctor clung steadfastly to this fact, the one thing that could keep him going in the face of all of the death around him. _He _didn't kill them.

"No, you let them kill themselves in your name. And you repay them by dying." _Alright, a little below the belt_, David noted. There was a fire added to the sadness in his face.

"I don't choose that. You _know _I don't choose that. But I can't stop them. I can't ever stop them, and maybe it would be for the best if I died. No worries about people dying and being killed in my name. No Sontaran, human, Silurian, nobody will ever die in my name again." The memories of Demon's Run were fresh in the Doctor's mind, and he could see everyone, every single debtor he had called to help him get Amy and Melody—or River—back.

Then David did the unthinkable. He stood up, reached across the tea table, and slapped the Doctor as hard as he could across the face. He sat down and sighed, beginning to speak in what he hoped was a soothing voice. "What about the Silence. If you die, they will have it easy. And the earth will be gone, just like they had planned. Is that what you want?"

The Doctor shook his head. "But I can't just send you out there!"

"I have a solution: I'll send myself."

"But—"

"Do I need to slap you again?"

The Doctor took on the impression of a contrite three-year-old. "No, I'm quite alright."

"Good, so you agree."

"It's my only option."

"And you're the one who came to me first."

"Yes, but once confronted with this,"

"You convinced yourself more and more what a horrible idea it was,"

"And I told myself that I just couldn't send a living, breathing, person out to take my place,"

"But it's the only way to convince the Silence that you're dead,"

"Therefore allowing them to move into my trap."

David grinned. "Maybe it's all for the best. I don't think the universe could handle two of you for very long."

The Doctor forced a smile and nodded mechanically. "Any ideas for what to do?"

.

The Doctor's mind was soon occupied with thoughts of blue envelopes and Stetsons. Not to mention fizzy straws. He had no time to think about what was going on in David's mind, although both Timelord and Ganger knew this was for the best.

The Doctor grinned maniacally as he explained his plans to get Amy and Rory's attention.

"You're going to do _what?_"

"Ask Matilda to paint me, upset Charles II, then get arrested. A one way ticket into a famous book!"

David shook his head. "Yeah, there's only one Doctor."

"What makes you say that?"

"Only you would be able to come up with something so insanely brilliant, not to mention dangerous, as that."

"Oh, not to worry. The only thing he can do is lock me in the Tower of London. I'll be out of there and in the film in no time!"

"Which film would that be, then?"

"Whichever Laurel and Hardy film strikes my fancy. They're Rory's favorites. Then off to a World War two prison break!"

David just shook his head and let loose a peal of laughter.

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><p>Soooo... How'd I do? Good enough for a review? I hope so! ^_^<p> 


	4. A Rising Evil

_**Hey, there! Long time no see! So... I felt bad (again) for not giving you a chapter in a while, so... Here's one that I wasn't going to write until later, but figured it could fit now while O'm working on fitting the story around the transcript.**_

_**Thanks for all of the reviews, they mean so much to me! (I'm sorry I can't name specifics, it's late, I have school tomorrow, and I should be sleeping) Thanks, read, enjoy, and please leave a review. I love them, I'm like tinkerbell-I need reviews to live! ^_^ kthnxbai**_

**Oh, and I don't own Doctor Who, no matter how much I may sound like Mr. Moff-what am I saying, nobody sounds like Mr. Moffat!**

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><p>The woman kneeled before her master and bowed her head in shame. "he—he… got away from us, Sir," she shuddered and flinched instinctively when he raised his hand, breathing a sigh of relief when he only ran it angrily through his short, silver hair.<p>

"_How is that possible?_" His quiet voice echoed through the high-ceilinged, illustrious meeting room. Then he sighed, his anger dissipating slightly. "Did you at least get the child?"

"Yes, Sir," she responded, thin, black currant-tinted lips curling up into a broad grin.

He smiled as well, touching the side of her face, finger brushing the side of her eye patch. "Good, Madame. You have done very well. Very well, indeed.

"But," his face turned stern again, "you can do better. You _will _do better, won't you, Madame?"

A sly look passed through her eyes before becoming blank once more. "If I do," she said slowly, "I will be reinstated, correct?"

The man grimaced and gave a single nod. "Now, come. And bring the child. There is work we must do." He turned and swept past her, red robes billowing behind him.

Madame Kovarian stood and turned, leaving the hallway in the same sweeping way the man left, but the opposite direction. She pushed through the doors, seeming to float inches above the ground and approached Colonel Manton—now known as Colonel Runaway. "Get me the child," she ordered. He saluted and walked away.

When he returned, Madame Kovarian had almost lost her patience.

"What the hell took you so long?"

He blanched. "The child was… gi—giving us… difficulties, Madame."

"What _kind _of difficulties?"

"Just… Well… She's been… injuring the troops, Madame."

"How?"

"I'm not sure. They… have headaches, blood coming out of their ears. I think she's trying some sort of defensive mechanism, but we've got her sedated now," he added hurriedly, looking down at the sleeping baby.

"Good. You know what we need? Well, go _do it! Bring the child to the President!"_

"Yes, Madame Kovarian, of course." He hurried past her and she followed, poised, fixing her black leather jacket as she went.

When they reached the man in the antechamber, they bowed, presenting the unconscious child to him.

"Why is she not awake, Madame?"

The two straightened up from their bow. "Sir, she gave the troops difficulties. I can only imagine how difficult," at this, she glanced at Manton, "to sedate her enough to bring her all this way."

Colonel Manton nodded vigorously and handed the sleeping baby to the man. "Yes, Sir. It took almost ten men to restrain her."

"What kind of sedative did you give her?" The man's voice rose in anger with each word spoken.

"A-a normal one, Sir. For humans." Colonel Manton, once standing tall and at attention, began cowering under the man's withering gaze.

"_Idiot_," he shrieked, and Manton was no longer present.

Madame Kovarian gasped and covered her mouth to muffle the involuntary sound. The man turned to her, and she shrank back.

"_You_," he snarled, "_You had better fix this!"_

"Yes, Sir, of course. You know I can."

"That's why I exiled you, _Madame_. You had better live up to expectations or the consequences," he looked at the charred ground where Colonel Manton once had been, "will be extremely… unpleasant."

Madame Kovarian nodded, snatched the child from the man's arms and hurried off in a manner much unlike her usual composure.


	5. A Plan in Action

Hey, guess what! I finall did more work on that plot part! Which means I wrote the plot around the transcript of the first episode of season 6! It's easier said than done, trust me on that! Well, enjoy, read/review, and please don't hate. This isn't my best writing because I had to confine it within the important points of this episode.

Oh, and... DOCTOR WHO IS ON TONIGHT! Who else is excited? Because I. Am. Freaking. OUT!

Oh, and a little comments game. Tell me what you think the last chapter was about (who was The Man, for example, and why was Madame. K. associating with him. I'll PM you your answers!) ^.^

I am not Steven Moffat.

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><p>The Doctor and David stepped out of the TARDIS, both praising her for actually going where she was needed.<p>

"Now," The Doctor began as a large bus pulled up, "all you have to do is pretend to be me. Shouldn't be too hard."

David nodded, pulling on a Stetson that he borrowed from the TARDIS wardrobe. Small beads of sweat were forming on his brow, and he wiped tham away with an almost violent swipe of his hand. The Doctor gazed at him, once again second-guessing his decision. David gave him what he hoped to be a reassuring smile as Amy's voice echoed across the copper nothingness**.**

"Thanks!" The Doctor and David saw her waving wildly and chuckled quietly, momentarily forgetting the tension thickly coating the air.

"This is it, yeah? The right place?" Amy looked around uncertainly as David clapped the Doctor on the shoulder and went to lean on the hood of a conveniently placed cherry red station wagon, his labored breathing refusing to be controlled.

The bus drove off, leaving a trail of dust for the Doctor to choke on while he ran back to the TARDIS. He climbed into the console room quietly, hoping the perception filter would be enough to hide her until David, Amy, and Rory stopped paying attention. His conscience weighed heavier on him than it had a year ago. He almost wished for his childhood, back when he was on Gallifrey and the Timelords were great and kind and wonderful. But that change was why he had to do this.

Rory looked around for a moment. "Nowhere, middle of? Yeah, this is it."

David coughed before plastering a ridiculous smile on his face. He tipped his hat and spoke. "Howdy!"

Amy and Rory turned around, giant grins splitting their faces once they saw David, and Amy called out, "Doctor!"

David turned, his smile turning lightly forced as he prepared to put on a show. He laughed and spun around, hugging Amy as he spoke. "It's the Ponds! Pond One and Pond Two! Hello, Ponds, come here!" David had a brief flash of how easy it would be to take over the Doctor's life, his friends, his adventures, his love, before shoving it to the back of his mind. Just because he had been one of the Gangers during that storm didn't mean he had to act like it.

"So someone's been a busy boy then, eh," Amy said, mockingly stern, to the Ganger.

"Did you see me?" David jumped giddily, something he knew for a fact the Doctor enjoyed. Now, he wasn't quite enjoying acting like him. _Maybe it's just what I have to do. Nobody _likes_ to die._

"Of course," Amy scoffed

"Stalker!" David laughed as Amy fixed his bowtie.

"Flirt," Amy retorted.

Rory looked at David and raised his hand slightly, reminding him, "Husband."

David gasped in delight and gripped Rory in an obnoxious bear hug. "And Rory the Roman! Oh, come here!"

Rory looked at David and remarked sarcastically, "Hey, nice hat."

David looked at him proudly. "I wear a Stetson now, Stetsons are cool."

Suddenly, a gunshot was fired and the Stetson flew off David's head. Amy, Rory, and David turned around and saw River Song. She smiled and blew on the muzzle of the gun.

"Hello, sweetie."

River and David sat down at a booth in the retro diner while Amy and Rory went to get drinks. They took out their diaries and River flipped through hers.

River pointed at a page. "Right then, where are we? Have we done Easter Island yet?"

David hastily flipped through the diary given to him by the Doctor. _What do I do? What do I do? What do I do? Ah, here it is!_ "Yes, I've got Easter Island!"

River smiled. "They worshipped you there! Have you seen the statues?"

David panicked for a moment, flipped to a later page and asked, "Jim the Fish?"

River smiled fondly, unaware of David's discomfort. "Oh, Jim the Fish! How is he?" David breathed a sigh of relief before realizing that she wanted an answer. He began covertly scanning the passage on Jim the Fish.

Rory and Amy walked over and sat down with the sodas and David muttered what he hoped was an intelligent response. "Still building his dam."

Rory looked between the two travelers in confusion. "Sorry, what are you two doing?"

Amy looked at Rory and explained, "They're both time travelers, so they never meet in the right order. They're syncing their diaries.

"So what's happening, then? Because you've been up to something." She glared at David.

David smiled before growing serious and looking at the three humans in front of him. "I've been running...faster than I've ever run, and I've been running my whole life. Now it's time for me to stop. And tonight I'm going to need you all with me."

Amy looked worriedly at David who attempted not to look guilty for his deception. "OK, we're here, what's up?"

David smiled. "A picnic! And then a trip. Somewhere different, somewhere brand-new."

"Where?"

David took a breath before saying the words the Doctor had reiterated as the most important in their little deception. "Space... 1969." Now, all he had to do... was die. _What have I done to myself?_

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><p>So... Yeah, I rewrote this, and I'm a lot happier than I was last night<p>

How was that episode, huh? Pretty fantastic, if you ask me! anyways, R&R, and trying playing my little comment game :)


	6. A Secret

A/N Ok, so I have a confession... Most of why I posted that A/N was because I didn't have anything ready for you guys and I felt guilty for not giving you anything... Sorry about that. But the rest of it was because I had been hoping for a bit more feedback on the transcript because I found it really difficult. Anyways, without further ado, here is... CHAPTER 6! WHEEEE! (And don't worry, you'll get more Madame K. and mysterious man numero uno soon, just be patient, I'm not sure what to write just yet)

Thank you all for reviewing, I appreciate it so much (and for future reference, I could never hold a story hostage... I enjoy knowing people's reactions too much! I like providing some good readage, as BlinkingAngel says, for you all!)  
>Some self-promoting: I'm starting a quick little story, maybe a one-shot, about the Master and the Doctor when they were at the Timelord Academy and the Master was called by the drums. More info on that later, if you like! ^.^<p>

Oh, little more ado, I do not own! sorry, but I'm not Mr. Moffat!

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><p>David looked around, happily surrounded by his—<em>the Doctor's<em>, he corrected—friends on a lovely, dry day in Utah. He stretched and lifted his wine glass in the air to the center of the blanket.

"Salud!" He could almost forget what he had to do. Not like he ever could forget, but he didn't regret it. He would never regret it.

The other three laughed and followed suit. "Salud!" The clinking of glasses filled the silence for a moment until Rory spoke.

"So when are we going to 1969?" David grimaced internally; he had hoped to avoid this a little longer. He was enjoying the carefree conversations and gentle teasing. He breathed a sigh of relief when Amy's voice carried over one of the teasing remarks David was so relishing.

"And since when do you drink wine?" A smirk was hidden behind her confused façade, and David shrugged.

"I'm 1,103 - I must have drunk it some time." He took a sip, but quickly spitting out the disgusting concoction. "Oh, wine's horrid! I thought it would taste more like the gums." He wiggled his tongue around in his mouth to make sure nothing had melted before focusing on what Amy was saying.

"1,103? You were 908 the last time we saw you."

"You've put on a couple of pounds," He said, defending the age the Doctor and he had decided on. "I wasn't going to mention it."

Amy looked up, her face contorted, eyes trying to see past the blazing sun. "Who's that?"

David felt a wave of pity well up inside of him. He knew everything that would happen to that poor girl, but he was helpless to stop it. _This must be how the Doctor feels, _he mused despondently. _I'm helpless because of all this 'fixed-point' nonsense._

Rory gave his wife a sideways glance. "Who's who?"

Amy looked at him, seeming to snap out of a trance. "Sorry, what?"

"What did you see? You said you saw someone."

"No, I didn't."

_ Time for a subject change, _David's inner voice sang. He sighed happily. "The moon, look at it! Of course, you lot did more than look, didn't you? Big silvery thing in the sky, you couldn't resist it. Quite right."

Rory's face convulsed as he put two and two together. "The moon landing was in '69. Is that where we're going?"

"Oh, a lot more happens in '69 than anyone remembers. Human beings... I'll never get done saving you."

In the distance, a truck pulled up onto one of the dunes. A man carrying what looked like a gasoline container stepped out, watching the four, a somber expression lining his countenance.

"Who's he," Amy wondered.

Rory and River rose. She turned around, her entire body freezing when she saw the lake.  
>"Oh, my God!"<p>

David took a deep breath, staring somberly at the astronaut that had just risen out of the lake. "You all need to stay back. Whatever happens now, you do not interfere. Clear?" He began walking, determination in his every step and a stony look in his eye.

Rory stared in wonderment. "That's an astronaut. That's an Apollo astronaut in the lake. Look," he pointed.

David looked at the astronaut, at young River—or rather Melody. "Hello. It's OK, I know it's you," he coaxed gently.

She opened her visor to reveal the sad, mistreated and hardened face of Melody Pond.  
>David sucked in a breath; he hadn't known how difficult it would be to know that the woman who grows up to love the Doctor tried to kill him when she was a child. "Well then..."<p>

David spoke for a few moments, and Melody raised her arm, tears beginning to run down her face.

"They hurt me, Doctor. I just want the pain to go away."

"I know, Melody, I know. They won't hurt you anymore after today. I promise."

She smiled a bit and fired. David gasped, staggering backwards and falling to his knees. He hadn't thought dying would hurt as much as it had.

Amy ran forward, panic coating her voice, screaming one word, "Doctor." River and Rory rushed forward to grab her.

"Amy! Stay back! The Doctor said stay back," River ordered.

David stood, and his limbs began glowing a soft golden color; the regeneration process was starting.

David looked at the three humans in apology, trying to convey his regrets in one look.  
>"I'm sorry."<p>

The regeneration began to take hold of him when he was suddenly jolted out of it by a flash of green light and searing pain in his other heart. He heard River scream, her voice so pained, so distressed. He almost wanted to tell her, but that would ruin everything. _I can't. I have to die here and now, with everyone thinking I'm him. It's the only option. _Then his world went black and he thought nothing more.

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><p>Rate and review, pwease! I'll love you forever... :)<p> 


	7. A Scheme

I'm so so so so so so soooooooooooooooooooo sorry I haven't updated in WEEKS! My only excuse is that I've been working on the newspaper, marching band, and the play. I'm sooooo sorry, and thank you all for sticking around with me!

So, I am not Steven Moffat, and thanks to everyone who has reviewed/favorited/followed me or my story. It means so much to me!

Enjoy, and please R&R

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><p>Madame Kovarian busied herself in her old lab. Oh, how she had missed the smells, the deadly perfume not found on any other planet! There was nothing that could compare with it, and she couldn't believe she had lived millennia without it! She peeled back one of Melody's eyelids, thankful that she could still see the girl's pupils. <em>If that idiot had messed up anymore, <em>she thought, furrowing her brow in annoyance at the dead man's antics. Still, it was too bad he was dead. He could have been useful in her experiments… She shook her head, quickly returning to the problem at hand.

Kovarian swirled the misty, purple concoction she had delicately prepared since the Lord President had ordered the child's life saved. Oh, the Doctor would love this plot twist! Murdered by the woman he loved who was raised by the people he abandoned and betrayed! Kovarian could taste the sweetness of her revenge as though it was a delicacy that she craved but had only tasted once before. She savored the vision of his face, the handsome features obscured and distorted by shock and heart-wrenching sadness. She smiled as she poured the solution down Melody's throat, giving a laugh when the baby coughed and opened her bright eyes; the child was ready.

Madame Kovarian ran, child wrapped snugly in her arms, towards the President's chambers. She knocked once before pushing open the doors, kneeling in the center of the room and proffering the girl. The President gently removed her from Madame Kovarian's arms and held her up. The baby giggled for a moment, but when he refused to smile at her, the giggling turned to whimpering. And the whimpering became crying, and the crying became crying, and the crying became sobbing. When he did nothing to try and stop her, the sobbing became one long, high-pitched wail that set the President's teeth on edge.

"Do something about that infernal noise, Kovarian," the man growled, setting the girl on the plush bed next to him to hold his head. This only caused her to wail louder. The President let out an exasperated sigh.

"My Lord, I cannot. She is a child, she doesn't know any better. Once we've raised her, she won't even remember how to cry, I assure you."

"She must learn sooner than that, Madame. In fact, I would say she should learn right now." A burst of light was emitted from his hands, momentarily blinding Kovarian.

When she opened her eyes, the child was deathly silent; the only indications to her continued life were the gentle ebb and flow of her breathing, the four beats of her hearts.

"My Lord, what did you do," she sputtered.

"I merely fixed the problem. Do not fear, she won't remember the pain."

Kovarian nodded; it wasn't her place to question his methods. In fact, she found them rather effective.

"Do I get my privileges back, now, My Lord President?"

He stared at her for a few minutes, lost in thought. "I think that you've earned your place among us, Madame." He removed a small, silver fobwatch from the pocket of his scarlet robes and dangled it in front of her face, watching the longing transform her features.

It took all of her energy to not reach out and snatch the watch from his grip. He caressed it for a moment, enjoying her internal struggle before turning the watch towards her face and opening it, allowing the golden light to fill the room, whispers of Kovarian's old life flooding through her.

When the light faded, she raised her bowed head and smiled, an insane gleam in her eyes.

"Welcome home," the President said quietly, "the Rani."

Her smile grew wider. "Thank you, Rassilon."


	8. A Spoiler

A/N: Thanks for everyone who hasn't abandoned my story, yet! I'm sorry I'm not very good at updating regularly, but I hope you think the wait was worth it!

Special thanks to BlinkingAngel (who has reviewed every. Single. Chapter ;) ), and a new traveler with my insanity, Darence-evren (because I apparently was taking too long with my story, so they decided that they better make sure I was writing more. Don't feel embarrassed, it makes me happy that you care that much!)

Anyways, enjoy the chappie and the readage (It's slightly longer than usual! :O Shock!)

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><p>The Doctor stood by and watched his friends mourning him. It was almost too much to bear, the knowledge that he not only brought about the death of a magnificent person but also the despair he heard in the sobs echoing throughout the shoreline of Lake Silencio. He turned and walked back to the TARDIS; he had a fizzy straw to fetch.<p>

After burning the Doctor's body, the three walked back to the small diner they had gathered at before, glassy eyes staring at TARDIS-blue envelopes, trying to make sense of all that had happened.

"The Doctor knew he was going to his death, so he sent out messages. When you know it's the end, who do you call?" River's brain was working overtime. Her heart was breaking, unknown to the others. She knew who killed the Doctor, she knew it was her, yet she was powerless to stop it. That knowledge just about tore her apart.

Rory's face twisted. "Your friends, people you trust."

River picked a TARDIS-blue envelope off of the old-style diner table. "Number one. Who did the Doctor trust the most?"

They didn't have to think for very long, because seconds later, a door flew open and in sauntered the man in question. River turned her gaze stony as Amy and Rory's mouths dropped in disbelief.

"This is cold. Even by your standards, this is cold."

The Doctor sidestepped neatly towards her. "Or, "Hello," as people used to say."

Amy looked at him, but didn't really see him. She started to wonder if she needed spectacles. "Doctor?" Her voice cracked a little, heartbroken.

The Doctor's smile nearly faltered and his hearts were stabbed a hundred times over in just that one little word.

"I-I just popped out to get my special straw. It adds more fizz." He twirled the straw between his fingers, trying to regain his clown-like attitude.

"You're OK," Amy said, walking around him. "How can you be OK?"

The Doctor gathered her into a hug. "Of course I'm OK, I'm always OK. I'm the king of OK. Oh, that's a rubbish title, forget that title." He turned away from Amy and cheerily cried out, "Rory the Roman, that's a good title. Hello, Rory!" He crushed Rory in an apologetic hug—though they had no idea. He released Rory, and turned to River. He smiled what he hoped was seductive instead of a grimace. "And Doctor River Song... Oh, you bad, bad girl, what trouble have you got for me this time?"

River stared at him, all of her anger and frustration from the past flooding out of her. Not even the Doctor could tell that she knew what had happened when he felt the sting on her hand on his face. The slap echoed throughout the diner. The Doctor gently rubbed his face.

"OK. I'm assuming that's for something I haven't done yet."

"Yes," River gasped, "it is."  
>The Doctor smiled. "Good, looking forward to it."<p>

Rory paced in a circle, trying feebly to understand what was going on. "I don't understand. How can you be here?" He poked the Doctor squarely in the chest, like the Doctor had so often poked him.

The Doctor leaned back a bit when Rory poked him, then straightened up again. "I was invited. Date, map reference. Same as you lot, I assume, otherwise it's a hell of a coincidence."

"River, what's going on?"

"Amy, ask him what age he is," River ordered without tearing her eyes from the Doctor.

"That's a bit personal," the Doctor piped up.

"Tell her. Tell her what age you are."

"909."

Amy did a double take. "Yeah, but you said..."

River cut her off in a panic. "So where does that leave us? Jim the Fish? Have we done Jim the Fish yet?"

The Doctor smiled, curious. "Who's Jim the Fish?"

"I don't understand," Amy spluttered.

Rory nodded slowly. "Yeah, you do."

"I don't," the Doctor cut in sharply. "What are we all doing here?"  
>"We've been recruited. Something to do with space, 1969, and a man called Canton Everett Delaware III," River responded.<p>

The Doctor began pacing. "Recruited by who?"

"Someone who trusts you more than anybody else in the universe."

The Doctor turned on her. "And who's that?"

River answered with her age-old mantra. "Spoilers."

(Warning, I'm going to go completely AU on you guys, sorry, very sudden, but this was all I had of the transcript, and I couldn't stick with it the whole time)

The Doctor dragged her away, feigning anger. "I've had it enough with your spoilers! You have to give me some answers." Once they were inside the back room, he opened the TARDIS doors and ushered her inside. She sat down and looked up at him expectantly. He closed the doors silently and walked towards her. "How are you doing?"

"I saw you die today. I thought you _did _die, and you're asking me how I'm doing?"

"Well… yes, I suppose I am." The Doctor smiled crookedly.

River shook her head and stood up. "Well, in that case…" She smiled. "Come here, you."

The Doctor walked warily towards her, only to be surprised. He had been expecting the poignant sting of another slap on his face, but instead was greeted with a pair of warm lips gently brushing against his own. River pulled away, almost too soon in his opinion.

"Hello, sweetie," she said, still smiling.

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><p>Please to review? Pwease, with any kind of cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory you want on top?<p> 


	9. A Spot of Revenge

A/N:Um... Can I ever apologize enough for basically dropping of the face of Fanfiction? Probably not... But hey, at least I come back bearing tidings of new chapter! That counts for something, right? Riiiiiight? I hope so. So without further adieu, I give: a new chapter!

Well, no further adieu after this: I do not own Doctor Who, nor am I Stephen Moffat

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><p>The Doctor flew around the console room to his spinny chair and sat down. He stared at River, steepling his fingers underneath his chin.<p>

"so, about you killing me," he began, smirking slightly.

"Well, sweetie," River smirked back. "I must say that I like you much better this way."

"What way would that be?" the Doctor raised his eyebrows

"Alive," she responded happily.

The Doctor shook his head and sighed; he was expecting more of a real answer to that.

"I should rephrase that. I mean why did you kill me-or rather who you thought was me?"

"Well I couldn't stop it. They made me, the Time Lords. It's all I was raised to do, all I knew. That is, until I actually met you."

The Doctor's face turned stony. "How? How did they... Make you, River?"

River's face took on a faraway look. She no longer existed in the present, but as a prisoner of her memory. "They hurt me. It's nothing, really. Not now that I know you sweetie, now that I love you and see the wrong in what they did. They raised me to be an obedient little assassin, and when I refused, I was punished.  
>"But I lived through it, and you lived through it, and we're fine." River smiled.<p>

She knew the look in the Doctor's eyes, and it wasn't good. It meant trouble for whoever had caused her pain, but he couldn't deal with Rassilon and the Rani on his own. He couldn't deal with them with an army. When she could, she did her best to calm him down, but she knew he wouldn't be calmed, not when he was like this. She only hoped that the Oncoming Storm could handle the flames.

"Sweetie, don't put yourself in danger. You have no ide—"

"I know."

"Bu-but how?"

"I may seem incredibly thick, but I'm th—one of the most intelligent people I know. I can put two and two together, Doctor Song."

River smirked, but it quickly turned to a worried frown. "And yet, knowing what you do, you still think you stand a chance against them? May I remind you that you nearly actually _died _the last time?"

"But I didn't."

"Why you—"

"You know you love me."

"Debatable."

The Doctor pouted, and River sighed; he was impossible when he was like this. At least he wasn't trying to take on Rassilon and the Rani anymore. Then again, River often underestimated him, and this was no exception.

"Where are they," he questioned, switching gears as though he had multiple personality disorder.

River cursed under her breath. "You'll never be able to reach them. They're too far out of the universe, even for you."

The Doctor smiled darkly. "Nothing's too far for me, especially when someone _hurts the people I love_."

River shook her head. "I mean it, Doctor. Don't do this. Just let them be. I'm here, you're here, we're all fine."

"The fact that I had to fake my own death, that you were tortured because of me, and that Amy and Rory still have no idea what's going on says otherwise," the Doctor grumbled.

"I don't care what that says to you, you're still not doing anything."

The Doctor sighed in disappointment while planning his escape. "You never let me have any fun," he complained.

"Don't you dare think of sneaking off. I know where'd you go, and I'm not afraid to keep you here until you get this ridiculous idea of revenge out of your head."

The Doctor muttered rebelliously under River's withering glare. Finally, he relented and agreed to not go after anyone. _For now,_ he thought, still rebellious. One other thought kept nagging at the back of his mind.

"River, what exactly did they do to you that was so bad it would make you…"

"A psychopath? It's a long, long story."

"I do have time, you know."

River sighed: She supposed she should be happy that he wasn't gallivanting off to a distant, burning planet for revenge. "It started after Demon's Run, when they took me to—where their base was."

"You almost told me," the Doctor taunted. "I'll get it out of you soon."

"Do you want me to tell you my story or not?"

"Sorry. Continue."

River sighed and opened her mouth again to begin telling the longest story of her life.

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><p>AN: So... You like? If so, review! If not, Review anyway!


	10. A Story

A/N So... Sorry for not updating very often, got pretty busy. So, to apologize, I gave you a really really really long chapter! Yay! Happy Holidays, all!  
>I don't own.<p>

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><p>"You already know how I was taken, so I'll skip over that portion of my childhood. I was taken to this man… Kovarian always called him the Lord President and insisted that I do the same. When I didn't… I was punished."<p>

The Doctor grit his teeth, as if it was taking all of his willpower not to go and destroy the "Lord President" right then and there. River placed her hand on his shoulder, and he visibly relaxed, collapsing into her touch. Right up until he realized what River said she had to call him.

"Lord President? Did he have any other name that you know of? Any at all?"

River shushed him. "Spoilers. I'll tell you when I tell you, and not a moment sooner."

The Doctor sighed and rolled his eyes like a petulant teenager, but motioned for her to continue. Before long, River was lost in the sea of pain and memories.

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><p>5-year-old Melody Pond woke up to the unchanging, amber-colored sky, still breathtaking in its monotonous beauty. How she hated it. At least, she hated it as much as a 5-year-old could hate anything, which was surprisingly a lot. And she wasn't sure if she was 5. It had been 365 days since the last time Madame had woken her up with the cold announcement of, "you're four years old. Congratulations. You age like a <em>human,<em>" and then forced her to learn something new, so she assumed…

She lied wrapped in the coverings of her bed for a moment, listening to the blessed silence of nothing. She was up early; a relief. The Lord President and Madame wouldn't be up to fetch her for a while yet. She could relax into her pillows, her only savior from the darkness of her life. Oh, she hated the man—the Lord President, she corrected herself, eyes darting around to make she he hadn't heard her thoughts—and the wo—Madame—more than she hated the glowy orange sky. She hated them as much as someone who was 6, she decided. A 6-year-old could probably hate more than any five-year-old. Maybe she was really 6, and Madame had gotten her human years wrong. But would that mean she hated them as much as someone who was seven…?

There was a rap on her door that made her fly out of her bed, hit her nightstand, and run into one of the walls that was so close to her at every turn. The room spun as the door opened and Madame walked in.

"Wake up, Pond. We've got a big day," she said, a self-satisfied smirk gracing her lips.

"Because it's my birthday," asked Melody in a small, hopeful voice. Hopes were always meant to be dashed.

"Oh, right. Five… Oh, Rassilon…

Anyways, work to do. Up and dressed in ten. Go!"

Melody jumped to life. The door was shut with a bang. Melody ran around her room, throwing on a golden-silk dress, pulling her thick, light brown hair up into a messy ponytail, and shoving her feet into a pair of Grecian sandals. She ran to the Hall, where her "training" took place every day and bowed before the Lord President.

"Good, Ms. Pond. I see you are perfectly punctual. I'm glad of it: That means more time for your training." His voice echoed across high ceilings and reverberated in Melody's sensitive eardrums. He pulled out a device, pressed a button, and pointed at the hologram floating above it. "This man," he paused to make sure she was listening. She was. She knew what would happen if she didn't. "Is the reason you are here. He is a danger to the universe, and you have to stop him. Or else, it means the destruction of our race and all races in existence."

Melody nodded, not trusting her voice. The man looked nice enough. Messy brown hair, partially tamed by gel in the front but cropped short in the back, a funny suit jacket, pants that were too short on him so you could see his bright white socks, a dark maroon bowtie, and a Stetson. She didn't understand why he was so dangerous, but she knew better than to ask. Her duty was to observe and follow orders. Her duty would lead to a psychopathic mindset that would not be scanned out of her mind by a simple Sonic Screwdriver to the brain.

"His name is the Doctor. Your job will be to kill him. But you cannot feel any remorse about it. If you do, the mission will fail, and you will _die _before you have a chance to get near him. I'm sure you don't want that," he ended, voice sickeningly sweet. "Now. We begin your training."

And begin it did. She quickly put a pair of pants and a shirt on, both black, and started out fencing. And fencing. And running. And, when she was about to drop, the Lord President stopped her.

"Come, Melody. Look at this man. Look him in the eyes."

Melody forced her aching jelly-legs to move her over to where the Lord President was standing. She gazed into the kind eyes of the Doctor. As she stared, she felt a creeping feeling in her mind, and the feeling became more than a feeling, it became a presence. The presence wrapped around her mind, and, with deliberate force, squeezed. Pain exploded behind her eyes, and she fell to the ground. A sob tore out of her chest, and the Lord President looked over her impassively. She came to hate this mysterious Doctor, who was the cause of all her pain.

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><p>The Doctor looked at River, eyes another hundred years older after hearing River's tale. "They did this to you every day?"<p>

"More or less. Sometimes it would be different. Once, they forced me to regenerate. That's when I knew I was part Timelord. That's when I knew I was like you…" Her grip on the Doctor's shoulder tightened as she remembered.

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><p>The Lord President called for Melody Pond personally the day of her twentieth birthday. She rose gracefully out of bed, face impassive. She threw a dress on over her night gown, skillfully taking the night gown off under her dress while the Lord President stood impatiently in her doorway. Her room was much larger than it had been when she was 5. If she had cared at all, she might have noticed it was growing with her. Now, her entire attitude to the monotony was as impassive as the expression of the man before her.<p>

"Come. There is much to do today." He swept out of Melody's room, expecting her to follow.

"What, no birthday wishes," asked Melody, smirking slightly. She followed him into the familiar Hall.

"We are doing something… different today, Ms. Pond," he said, his back toward her, once she entered the Hall.

"What would that be, my Lord President," she questioned with a sweeping curtsy.

"Regeneration." He turned, a glove—gauntlet—on his right hand and clenched his fist. The breath flowed out of Melody. She choked, gasped for breath, gazing imploringly at the Lord President, but nothing happened. His face tightened at the effort. Suddenly, there was silence. Melody's body collapsed limply to the ground. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, a bright, golden light was emanating from her pale pores, turning them darker, curling her hair, making her about six inches taller, and turning her eyes from a crystal blue to a chocolate brown. The light faded and she stood up. She looked at the Lord President, a new gleam gracing her eyes.

"So, what would my… "mission" be?"

"Kill the Doctor."

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><p>"Then, he sent me to earth, to find you. And find you I did, nearly killed you, too, Sweetie."<p>

The Doctor shook his head. "One thing you never told me. What is the "Lord President's" real name?"

River hesitated. With how… Volatile the Doctor could be, she was afraid to tell him.

"Rassilon. His name was Rassilon. And Madame Kovarian is the Rani."

The Doctor's eyes filled with fire, and he called out the door of the TARDIS to Amy and Rory. "We're going on a trip, a long one. Grab your coats!"

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><p>AN: Thanks for reading and bearing with me! please to review? I'll give you a dalek in a santa hat... (or find one and post a link to the picture to the next chapter)


	11. A Timelord's Anger

A/N: So... I haven't updated in... *checks watch, then realizes she's not wearing one* Well, a long time. So, here's your chapter! I'm sorry that it's kind of a filler, but the real action will take place next chapter, I promise! Also, even though I only got a couple reviews, it wouldn't be fair to keep my santa dalek from the people who did review, so... here's the linky link... (oh, geez... I almost said it was down in the dooblydooo... been spending too much time with Nerdfighteria, if that's possible ;D):

.com/?qh=§ion=&q=santa+dalek#/d1rl1re

and another one, because these people on deviantart are just way too talented!

.com/?q=santa dalek&order=9&offset=24#/d4dfl50

ok, so this technically isn't santa, but... I like it too much!  
>.com?qh=§ion=&q=santa+dalek#/d4jq5p0

so enjoy, tell the deviantart artists that they rock, and I don't own those amazing pictures (I'm not an artist, trust me. be happy I found some awesome pictures for you. I can't draw to save my life.), and I most definitely do not own Doctor Who.

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><p>"Doctor! Where are we going?"<p>

"A place. A placey place. Come along, Pond!" His voice had a hidden anger.

_Why would he be angry? What does he have to be angry about? _Amy gazed at him as River walked over to him and held his shoulders. He looked at her for a moment before shrugging out of her grip. He smiled apologetically before flying around the console, flipping levers.

"What's up?"

"I have no idea what you mean," the Doctor muttered, not even turning toward the direction Amy's voice came from.

Amy glared at him, hands on her hips in a perfect imitation of a whiney little teenager. "Doctor, I can tell when something's wrong. There's something bothering you. As your friend, I deserve to know."

River made her way over to Amy and Rory. "I wouldn't ask him right now," she whispered. ""He's having a bit of a tough time and-"

"I can hear whispering! And whispering means secrets. I hate secrets! There've been far too many of them in my lifetime," he ended quietly.

River grimaced a bit. "I'm sorry, Sweetie. I'm so, so sorry."

"It's not your fault. It's _his._ He destroys everything he touches, kills anyone who gets in his way. And he _doesn't care._"

Amy looked at her husband. "Permission to hug my best friend?"

"Always granted, particularly because I feel like I should give him a hug, too… Well, that's odd…"

"Oh, come 'ere, Ponds," the Timelord in question cried. His voice cracked with sadness.

"Doctor, what's happened to you? Who is 'he'?"

"I can't tell you just yet, Amy. You'll just have to trust me for now."

"You always say that," she murmured into his tweed jacket.

"And have I ever lied about that?"

"Rule one:"

"The Doctor lies," River finished, joining the hug. "Be strong, Sweetie. You don't have to take revenge."

He turned blazing eyes on his love. "I don't have to? I don't believe you, River. I have to do this. You can say that I shouldn't, not just for you. It isn't just for you, although you _are _the main reason. He tried to destroy the whole of creation once, did you know that? He also… he turned my best friend into a madman, a monster I spent half a millennium running from instead of protecting like I should have. River, he's ruined so many lives. What I'm doing now is giving those lives justice."

River locked her tear-filled eyes with his. "Be careful, my love. You don't know how this will change you."

"And you do?"

Amy and Rory, sensing this had nothing to do with them, had moved away from the Doctor and River, allowing them some privacy.

"I know all too well. You know I'm a Timelord. I can see your alternate futures. Doctor, if you take the revenge you're planning it will destroy you."

"Give me some credit. I'm stronger than you think."

"But are you stronger than your fate if you continue on this path?"

The Doctor stared for a moment, but quickly spun away. He flicked one more switch on the console and the TARDIS sprang to life, throwing her tenants to the floor.

"Doctor, this feels a little more… bumpy than usual," Rory screeched as he landed on top of Amy.

"We're going a lot farther than usual. You could say this is a long-distance call."

"long-distance or not," muttered Amy, "it's still too bumpy."

All of a sudden, all motion stopped, and a voice was heard as if over loudspeakers.

"Doctor. Long time, no see. It's good to have you back. Come, explore the ruins of your once-beautiful home. We have some friends here who would love to see you again."

"Rassilon, I swear to Rassi—wait… I swear to… to… um… I SWEAR, if you hurt _any _of my friends…"

"Well, I should have said they are _my _friends, although one of them used to be yours." The voice laughed a bit, sending chills down River's spine. Amy and Rory shuddered.

The Doctor ran toward the doors of the TARDIS, toward the voice, but kept himself from opening the doors.

"What do you mean? Who else is with you?"

"Well, well, well, Doctor. Isn't this interesting. You know, after all this time, I thought that you'd recognize me. Particularly at Demon's Run."

The voice was one the Doctor recognized. It was the voice of Madame Kovarian, that much was obvious, but it was higher, colder. That tone, that heartlessness, could only belong to one woman.

"Rani," the Doctor acknowledged.

"Oh," her voice squeaked with false joy. "You _do _remember me! We did have some good time, all those centuries ago…" She giggled, and the Doctor cringed.

"You were exiled. How are you back?"

"Oh Doctor," Rassilon admonished. "There'll be time to catch up later. Right now I really should introduce you to our other guest. Say 'Hello, Doctor!"

"Doctor…" the new voice croaked. It sounded like it was sore from lack of use. "It's good to see you again. I'm so sorry about what," a long, rasping cough interrupted him. "happened last time we saw each other. I tried fighting them, you know. For you, and our friendship."

"Master," the Doctor's voice rose in pitch and cracked. "What happened to you?"

"Rassilon set a trap for you. He knew you—"

"—And that's enough from you! Now, Doctor, any questions."

"No questions, just a demand: Release the Master, and bring yourself to justice. Or else _I will_."

Amy and Rory looked on in fear, and River wept for the death of the man she loved.

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><p>Please review. I'm begging now. It could be your Christmas present to me? Anyone who reads this has to send me a review as a Christmas present, it is the law of the above santa daleks!<br>Seriously, though, I would send you a million viral hugs if you reviewed. 3 X a million!


	12. An Old Enemy

A/N: So... this chapter kind of ran away from me after the Master decided to show up, so... you get it early! And, my god, did I write a lot... well, compared to how much I usually write! Umm... Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays (Wouldn't want to be politically INcorrect, now would I? :P)  
>I DON'T OWN!<p>

UPDATE: So, apparently wasn't allowing reviews on this chapter, so I'm reuploading it and I hope this works. Merry Christmas! :)

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><p>The Doctor, giving no further thought to consequences, burst through the TARDIS doors only to be held immobile by an invisible force field. He screamed and beat his fist against the wall, keeping him isolated from the woman he loved, his friends, and the Master, who he could not quite call a friend anymore. He let himself fall to the ground with a small sob, and the Master, watching from his prison by Rassilon's side, convulsed a little.<p>

How many times had the Doctor forgiven him, been this vulnerable in front of him, only for him to turn around and try to destroy everything he held dear? He could hardly remember the time when they had been best friends, inseparable to any who tried. The Doctor always helped him conceal his drums; they both knew that he would have been exiled if Rassilon had known about his insanity. How had he repaid the Doctor for his friendship? By killing him more times than he could count. He glared at Rassilon, the cause of his drums, and swore, then and there, to take his revenge and help the Doctor, even if it cost him his life.

River stared, no coherent thoughts running through her head other than the fact that she wanted to go and join the Doctor, fight his demons with him, not watching from inside the TARDIS.

Amy and Rory stood next to River, Rory's arm creating a comforting cage around Amy's shoulders that she burrowed into. It killed her—it killed _them_—to see the Doctor so broken. He had always seemed so strong. To have to watch him like this when they didn't even know what was causing it was too much to bear. Amy sobbed when the Doctor sobbed, and buried her head in Rory's shoulder. The only reason Rory hadn't broken down as well was because, to him, Amy needed him to be strong. He would stay strong if it killed him. With the way this was going, he was afraid that it would.

Rassilon smiled, seeing all these emotions passing on the faces of his guests in the split second it took to feel them.

"Oh, Doctor," he called to the collapsed man. "It seems two of your friends are rather confused. Care to explain? Or shall I?"

The Doctor wearily raised his head, tears glistening on his face. He shook his head minutely and whispered, "leave Amy and Rory alone. They don't need to know."

Amy shook her head a bit. "Doctor, I think we do."

Rory, as always, agreed with his wife. "We can help you. We're not the useless humans you seem to make us out to be."

The Doctor continued shaking his head. "No… Too… not good."

Rassilon beamed. "Now, we don't want to disappoint your friends. So, let's tell them the 'not good' story of what you did during the Time War.

We were nearing the end of the War," he continued, eyes boring holes into Amy's and Rory's alternatively. "I had finally perfected our plan, the only way to end the carnage. Timelords would ascend, become only consciousness. Of course, the Doctor wouldn't have that!"

"You would have destroyed the universe! Entire races, planets, realities _destroyed _just so you could 'ascend!'"

"Collateral damage! It happens during wartime."

"That's not collateral damage, that's _genocide_! You're as bad as the Daleks."

Rassilon was infuriated. How _dare _he! "We are _more _than them. We are superior, we are better!"

"You are just the same, but with fancy ideas and morals. Twisted, but still morals. You cannot call yourselves better than the Daleks when you act just like them."

Rassilon screeched, but was interrupted by River's mocking voice. "My Lord President," she sang. I think you've forgotten about me."

"Oh, Melody, I could never forget about you… or how you so purposefully failed me."

"I go by River, now, President. River Song."

"A beautiful name fitting a beautiful Timelady."

"You have no right to compliment me, not after what you've done, what you've tried to make me do."

Rassilon shook his head. "I only did what I had to, for the sake of our race."

"I don't count myself as one of you, not after what you did."

"Pity. Perhaps you'll step out into the light, face me where I can see you."

The Master strained against invisible bonds. "River, don't you dare, it's a trap! He'll do to you what he's done to the Doctor and me! Get out of here!"

"Thank you for the warning, Master, but I realize that this is a trap. I will also willingly step into it. I would never abandon the Doctor." With that, she neatly stepped into the throne room where she spent so much of her childhood.

Amy and Rory, unsure of what to do, followed suit, also becoming imprisoned in the same unseen chains that had just restrained River.

"Oh, just look at the little party that you're missing, Doctor. I would almost assume that you're asleep. Well," his face twisted with cruelty. "You won't be for much longer."

The Doctor stood and faced Rassilon as the man clenched his gauntleted fist. The Doctor grabbed his stomach and screamed. He doubled over in pain, tears coming into his eyes. He tried to be strong, tried to keep the tears from falling, but it was _so hard._ The hairs on the backs of Amy, Rory, River, and the Master's necks stood on end. Amy and Rory had never heard the Doctor in so much pain. River had only seen the agony in his memories. The Master lived the last time the Doctor had been so anguished. It was when he made the decision to let Gallifrey burn in isolation, when the Master left him forever and allowed the drums to consume him.

"Stop hurting him! Please… just _stop!_"

"What is it to you, Master? Last I checked you hated him, always trying to kill him. If I remember correctly, you succeeded on a few counts, as well."

"Please," the Master begged, voice weaker than it had been before. "He's my best friend."

"Best friend," Rassilon scoffed. "You really think he'll forgive you so easily?"

"No, and I don't expect him to."

"What do you expect, then?"

"Let me take his place."

"That's an impossibility." The pain in the Doctor's head stopped, and he breathed heavily, clutching one of his hearts. "The Doctor must die. It's written in the stars."

"No… What's written is that a child of Gallifrey who has spent his whole life running from a past he'd rather forget must suffer. Nothing about death, and nothing naming the Doctor as that Child."

The Doctor clenched his teeth and gazed at the Master through his tears. What had changed in the man, to allow him to honor their friendship again? Then he remembered; when they thought time was ending, he sacrificed himself. The Doctor had thought it was because he wanted revenge against Rassilon for torturing him his whole life, but could it have been more? Could it have been that he wanted to regain his friendship? Whatever it was, he couldn't let the master suffer in his place he knew that. However, Rassilon made any heroic bravery on his part unnecessary.

"Temping offer, really, Master, but I'll have to decline." Rassilon turned back to the Doctor, and the pain returned in ernest. The Doctor's vision went stark white, and he heard River sobbing in her cage, unable to reach him. He shook his head, tried to tell her it was ok, that he wouldn't die here, not today. He still had plenty of life left, and he wasn't about to give up simply because Rassilon had a petty revenge scheme.

The Master screamed, and the Doctor, through the blinding stabs, muttered, just loud enough for him to hear, "I forgive you," before his world went black.

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><p>AH! I'm SORRY! I'M SO SO SO SO SO SO SORRY! I don't know what happened! BAD RASSILON! I swear, it's all HIS FAULT DX<br>ummm... review? No flaming please! D':


	13. AN PLEASE READ!

I need some help from my readers… I'm writing the next chapter of Ganger, and I've got a little voice in my head… a little, attractive, American voice that won't shut up. BlinkingAngel says that it wouldn't be a good idea to include this annoyingly LOUD *glares at little Jack in the back of her mind* little voice, but he won't. Shut. Up! So, I'll leave it up to you. I'll wait until I have at least 11 (so there's no tie) more comments, and count them up. If most of you say no Captain, I'll smother him with a little pillow. If you guys say bring on the Captain then I'll go a little crazy and write some… Captainy stuff. So it's really important that you guys review (no, this isn't a ploy to get more reviews. I seriously am conflicted), otherwise it might not be what _you _want. Please tell me what you want, because I don't know what to do!  
>Ok, thanks for reading this rambling author's note. Please to tell me what you want in reviews or a PM, if you want<p> 


	14. A Torture and a New Plan

A/N: Not sure where these long chapters are coming from so quickly... I hope it's not because I'm just spitting these out, but I think most of these characters are in character (then again, I don't really know Rassilon, so... yeah), but fair warning, Jack will be showing up (I'm sorry, he's just too persistent) because I only got 2 reviews on that A/N I posted (I suspect a lot of people didn't even read it because it was an author's note...) and Jack wants to be able to be violent (because we know he loves guns... NO! NOT THAT WAY! You pervs...). So, he's not in this chapter, but he will make his grand entrance next chapter. And I wish that fact wouldn't make some of you stop reading, but I know it will, and as an author, I need to do what's best for my story.

No owning going on here, sorry

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><p>River, Amy, and Rory were shoved roughly into a cell by three guards, the Master thrown into a cell right next to them. Amy hit her head with the force she was thrown. The guard who threw her laughed, quieting quickly under Rory's withering glare.<p>

"Not. My. Wife. You _bastard_." The guard scuttled away, chuckling when he was out of earshot while Rory gently checked Amy's head for signs of damage, his inner nurse taking over.

"I'm fine, you idiot," she said fondly pushing him away. "We have more things to worry about than a little bump on my head."

"Yeah, like how the hell are you planning on getting rid of Rassilon," muttered the Master, sitting in a corner of his cell. He glanced up, a fire in his eyes. "And I'm sure you know what I mean, Doctor Song."

River looked at him. "I think I do, but I can't trust you or your opnions. I've never met you before today. And the Doctor's certainly been tight-lipped about anything about his childhood."

"We were best friends, back on Gallifrey. Before I… before I betrayed him."

Amy and Rory looked at each other, than back at the Master. Rory cleared his throat. "Gallifrey?"

"Well, you don't think the Doctor fell out of the sky one day, do you? No, don't answer that, it was rhetorical. Gallifrey is the planet of the Timelords, which we are currently on, we became Timelords because Omega wanted to have some fun, yadda yadda yadda, I don't really have the patience to explain all of this right now…"

"Um… O… kay? What do you mean 'best friends?'" So many questions... That would probably never be answered. Unless they cornered the Doctor later on. Which will happen, Rory reminded himself. They will be traveling together in the TARDIS again before they know it.

The Master's eyes, already almost as old as the Doctor's, seemed to gain another hundred years. "When we were growing up here, we roomed at the Timelord Academy. We were best friends, literally told each other everything, swore never to betray each other, and stuck up for each other until the end. Until the day when I was initiated, when the drums invaded my mind and drove me insane. Even then, the Doctor was my best friend, defended me to the Council when they thought I was a threat to safety. One day, I snapped. I ran, as fast and far as I possibly could. Then the Time War started, and I couldn't do anything. I let the drums overpower me, and it was the worst decision of my lives. I'll never forgive myself."

Rory looked at the Master. The Doctor had mentioned him a couple times on the TARDIS, always with regret and more sadness than Rory though was possible. But it suddenly made sense, if the Master had really betrayed him, why the Doctor felt so sad.

Amy smiled a little at him. "I'm sorry."

The Master shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant. "All I can do now is hope that he'll forgive me."

"I think he already has," River interjected. "He forgives far too easily, and from what he's told me, you've most certainly earned it from your recent actions. Don't screw it up, Sweetie, or I may have to kill you." She smiled, letting him know that she was joking—mostly. "Now, Master, what were you thinking of to 'get rid of' Rassilon?"

He fidgeted a little bit in his cell. "What I'm thinking of—we'd have to call someone, although I don't think he'd be very keen on helping me."

"Why not?" Confusion colored Amy's voice.

"I kind of killed him. A lot. For a year… a year you wouldn't remember because it never really happened in this reality… You could say it was my favorite pastime."

River nodded with some understanding; the Doctor had mentioned a man who could never die quite a few times, always with disgusted affection.

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><p>The Doctor lifted his head, causing the room to spin at a dizzying rate. Finally, the room stood still, and the Doctor's vision focused on Rassilon. A quick look to his right showed him that the Rani was standing next to him, looking incredibly smug.<p>

"Why…" was all the Doctor could get out. His throat was dry, his head ached more than he thought was possible, and he hadn't spoken in hours.

"You ruined our plans, Doctor. We were going to ascend, become gods. But you wouldn't have that of course."

"What's a god without anything to rule over? What would be the point?"

"We would have destroyed the daleks."

"Along with the rest of the universe. Is that really the price you wanted to pay?"

"The end justifies the means, Doctor."

"Not when the means are wiping out every race that has ever existed!" The Doctor's voice was getting stronger, and he pulled against the chains keeping him immobile. This was his mess, and he had to fix it. Whatever the cost.

"Doctor," the Rani smiled. "What is your point? You're fighting against us, but if you fought with us, you would also be able to ascend."

"Oh, Rani, don't pretend you_ want _this! You wouldn't be happy unless you could tinker with something's biology."

"Answer my question."

"Because there's so much _life _out there. Getting rid of that is like setting fire to the most beautiful piece of art that has ever existed. It's shameful to even think of. It's like films, on earth, when they kill the dog. For most humans, it's considered unacceptable."

Rassilon frowned for a moment at the Doctor's human reference, and then shrugged. "What's art without sacrifice?"

The Rani looked at Rassilon out of the corner of her eye. "Why exactly are we talking? We do have a prophecy to fulfill."

Rassilon smiled. "Right you are." He turned his smile—which quickly turned frightening and feral—on the Doctor and touched his face with a gauntleted finger. The Doctor shrunk away from it as much as he possibly could, but the fire started anyways. It grew from the spot where Rassilon was touching him, and spread through his head. He felt as though every cell in his body was on fire in a matter of seconds. Of course, it really wasn't, but the greatest pain is what exists only in the mind.

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><p>Please to review! (You know how much I love your reviews? much!)<p> 


	15. A Flirt

Welll... No idea where this came from... It's Doctor-lite, I'm sorry to say. (And I mean to the extreme.) This chapter was setting a scene of action, and... stuff... so _it had to be done!_ *strikes heroic pose* I liked the banter in this chapter, it's a little more lighthearted than the past couple, so I hope you all enjoy! Even though it **is** Doctor-lite... Forgive me?

Sadly enough, I haven't magically inherited ownership of Doctor Who (or, for a couple nanoseconds in this chapter, Torchwood) due to some rich uncle who's a long-lost brother of Russel T. Davies or Steven Moffat. Sorry :P

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><p>"So… What exactly are we doing?" Rory wasn't following the Timelord speed conversation of "You mean—" "Yes." "And—" "Exactly" that was going on between River and this 'Master' bloke. Then, to make matters worse, they gave him a twin set of glares and perfectly timed eye-rolls.<p>

"We're bringing in… a weapon from earth. But we don't think that weapon will come if the Master is the one to call."

"Why not? Who is this weapon?"

"A man named Captain Jack Harkness. Don't let him near Amy," River said a little grimly before chuckling. "Oh, this could actually be fun!"

She and the Master chuckled until the Doctor's screams from above startled them both into a sober silence.

"Anyways, _I _can't call him, I'm pretty sure he hates me." The Master remembered their last encounter with a smile. "I killed him so many times…" He smiled into the distance for a moment before shaking himself and smiling sheepishly. "Sorry, still have slight psychopathic tendencies."

River nodded quizzically, and Amy and Rory huddled in a corner; The Master was a little frightening when he got lost down memory lane.

The Master smiled. "Ok, so who will be calling the devil?"

River looked at Rory. "Would you be a dear, Daddy? No offense, but I think you're the only one here who Jack won't be trying to flatter or kill."

"Um… No offense taken? I think…"

River smiled and handed her father her phone. She rattled off Jack's phone number like she had known it all her life. Rory warily held the phone up to his ear, warily letting his breath out when a cheerful voice answered.

"Ummm… Captain Jack Harkness?" The others heard silence as Jack answered. "We… need you. It's about the Doctor." More silence. "Difficult to explain but he's hurt. Badly. Close to death." Rory had taken on the voice he used when telling a doctor about a patient's condition; cold, detached. He took the phone away from his ear for a moment. "How is he going to get here? And where is here?"

"Tell him his vortex manipulator should do the trick. Coordinates are 874930/572/61ACB3Z/Acorn, We're on Gallifrey" answered the Master like he was trying to keep the immortal on the other end of the phone from hearing his voice.

Rory rattled off the information, nodded grimly to whatever the man on the other end had said, and hung up, passing the phone back to River. She smiled and tucked it back into an unseen pocket.

Jack entered the cogs of Torchwood Institute laughing at Ianto's reaction to trying to change Myfanwy's diet of dark chocolate to one of celery. He slapped Ianto lightly on the back.

"You know it's a joke, Yan! I wouldn't dare try to pull darling Myfanwy away from her chocolate." With that, he pulled a bar of chocolate—60% cocoa, of course—out of a shopping bag that had been hanging from his arm and threw it into the air, smiling at Ianto's smile as she caught it mid-flight.

The rest of the team was out for lunch, and Jack and Ianto had just gotten back from a quick grocery trip. The hub was freakishly empty with just the two of them, but they didn't mind.

Then the phone rang. Ianto and Jack exchanged glances; that phone didn't ring often. Jack picked up the receiver warily, but still smiling. "Hello?"

The man on the other end sounded frightened. "Ummm… Captain Jack Harkness?"

Jack smiled haughtily. "At your service. And _who _are _you_?" He waggled his eyebrows suggestively at Ianto, who choked a little on the coffee he had been drinking.

"Sir, I hardly think that's appropriate."

Jack smiled and winked. The man on the other end had ignored Jack's question and got straight to the point of the call. "We… need you." Jack's smile fell.

"Why? What's happening? Who is this? How did you get this number?"

"It's about the Doctor."

Jack's voice was overly controlled. "What happened to him?" He did his best to keep from shouting at the man on the other end. Even so, Ianto was a bit startled by the tone of his voice.

"Difficult to explain but he's hurt. Badly. Close to death."

"How do I get there? Where _is _there, by the way?"

The voice grew fainter for a moment before returning. "Planet called Gallifrey—" Jack flinched a bit. He knew the stories of the end. "—Coordinates are 874930/572/61ACB3Z/Acorn, he said use your Vortex Manipulator."

Jack nodded grimly. "I'm on my way."

"Are you leaving us again, Sir?" Ianto frowned at him; there's been too much of him leaving because of this mysterious Doctor.

"Afraid so, Yan," answered Jack quietly. "I will be back, though. I promise."

"You've made promises before, Jack." Ianto's hesitant use of his name broke Jack's heart.

"I plan on keeping this one. Pinkie swear, if you like." The Captain held out his pinkie, grinning childishly despite everything that was happening. Ianto shook his head and linked pinkies with Jack, feeling like the biggest idiot in the world when a dorky grin spread across his face. "Could you pack the regular weapons? And _the Gun_?"

Ianto dropped Jack's pinkie, and his eyes grew wide. "Are you sure, Sir? Why the devil would you need that?"

"I'm not sure, yet. He said they were on Gallifrey, so I feel like it's important."

Ianto nodded shortly and went to fetch the required weapons. Jack started suiting up in usual Harkness fashion; his military-issue coat, a few guns in unusual places, and a trusty sonic disrupter he hasn't used since the first time he met the Doctor. Ianto came back and handed the pack of weapons to Jack. Jack slung the pack over his shoulder and strode over to Ianto and lightly caressed his cheek.

"I promise you, I will come back if it's the last thing I do."

Ianto blushed and grumbled a little about professionalism, his blush growing when Jack leaned over and kissed his cheek. Ianto pulled the other man into a tight embrace. Jack spun out of Ianto's grip, saluted him, and punched the coordinates the terrified man on the phone had told him. Jack disappeared in a flash of white light, and Ianto was left to clean up the scattered papers.

Jack materialized in the dank prison and shook himself like a dog. Standing in front of him was a woman about 40 years old with unruly, honey-tinted hair. He smirked his trademark smirk and held out his hand.

"Captain Jack Harkness. And you are?"

River took his hand primly. "Doctor River Song."

"Oh, another Doctor." His smirk grew wider.

River leaned in, her lips almost brushing his ear. "Wife of the Doctor, so I wouldn't be getting any ideas if I were you." She leaned back and smiled at the color draining out of the Captain's face.

He took a rigid step back and stiffly saluted her. She saluted casually back, and Jack's smile returned, albeit less suggestive than it had been originally. That is, until he saw Amy. Then, the suggestive smile was back, and he captured one of Amy's hands in his own.

"And you are?"

"A-Amy Pond," she stuttered, blushing when Jack brushed his lips across the back of her hand.

Rory drew himself up to his fullest height and tapped Jack on the shoulder. "Rory Williams," he said coldly. "Husband."

Jack turned his smirk on poor, innocent Rory. "Well, you know what they say. Three's a party." He winked at Rory, who suddenly felt very sick.

He decided—wisely—to change the subject. "We did call you here for a reason, _Captain_."

Jack cleared his throat, mind taken away from flirting for a moment. "Right. What exactly is going on here? You," he pointed at Rory. "You sounded scared out of your skin on the phone."

A man in a separate cell slowly raised his head. "Rassilon and the Rani are planning on killing the Doctor. Is that difficult to wrap your tiny, human mind around, Captain?"

Jack turned around almost in slow motion. "Long time no see. In fact, you could even say it's like we never met, Master."

The Master shrugged, regaining some of his old self in the face of Jack's cutting tone. "bad year," he sneered.

"Oi," Amy cut in. "You boys can argue later. We do have an actual problem that needs taking care of, _in case you've forgotten_. So if you two could _shut _it, and listen to River, because she's the one who actually has a plan."

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><p>Ok, so the stage is set! I can only promise one or two more chapters of this, and then I'll be bringing to a close. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing (particularly those of you who review every single chapter. I can't tell you how happy that makes me!).<p>

So, please to review this chapter? Pleeeeeeeeaaaaaaaase? I'm not against begging. Or bribery. I can give you some fudge (Virtual). Or cookies (also virtual). or... or... Oh, I don't know! Review, por favor! (Spanglish will get a review, right?)


	16. An End

A/N: So... I feel a little empty, just finished the end of my best fanfiction. Yeah, this is the last chapter... Ugh... I can't think anyways, too many feelings about Reichenbach (If anyone wants to commiserate, please message me. I'm always open for commiseration), so sorry it took me so long to type this up. I just couldn't figure out where I was going to go with this. I'm sorry if the solution seems too easy, but I think it fit. enjoy, and please R&R. Because this is my last chappie :(

Disclaimer: Do not own! :(

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><p>Jack nodded once when River and the Master had finished explaining the plan. It was flawless, except it would require a not-so-flawless piece of technology.<p>

"You really think _this_," he held up a glistening piece of metal on a chain, "will keep whoever it is upstairs from noticing me? This barely kept him," he jerked his thumb at the Master, "from seeing us!"

The Master sighed; the human race really could be quite thick. "Throw it over here."

Jack glared at him but did what he asked. The Master caught the key gracefully in his left hand and pulled his laser screwdriver out of his pocket with the other.

"Who'd have sonic…" Jack muttered, and the Master flashed him a quick grin before pointing and pushing a fancy button. The tip of the screwdriver began glowing, and the key started smoking. Jack leaned against the wall.

"You have no idea what's running through my head right now…"

"Jack!" River admonished him.

He held up his hands in surrender. "Just putting my thoughts out there. No need to kill me."

The Master threw the key back to Jack. "Try it on," he ordered.

Jack—for once without complaint—did as he was told and slipped the chain over his head. Amy, who had been staring between him and the Master for the entirety of the conversation, looked from Jack—or where he had been—to the Master.

"What'd you do to that key-thing? He's vanished!"

"I… upgraded it a bit," the Master giggled.

Jack smiled widely and took the key from around his neck. "This is amazing!"

Amy's eyes widened, and she hit Rory's arm a couple of times. "Did you—"

Rory nodded, dumbfounded. "Yeah… Yeah, I did."

Jack looked at him. "I'll be able to get to Rassilon before he even realizes what hit him."

Rory raised his eyebrows. "What are you going to do? Flirt with him to death?"

Jack reached into the pack he had thrown on the floor and pulled out a large gun and a briefcase. He knelt on the floor, opened the briefcase, and pulled out four vials with different colored liquids in each one. He slotted each vial into a different hole in the top of the gun with a click. With a closer look, Amy and Rory were able to tell that the end of a gun was a needle.

"What does it do," Amy asked.

"The only way to kill a Timelord stone dead. Stab him with this, pull the trigger, and he can't even regenerate. Torchwood developed the technology, but it was destroyed in the Year that Never Was, so we created a new one, refined the technology," Jack explained. "I just have to get close enough to him.

River smiled sardonically. "I've always been pretty good at distractions. Leave it to me."

Jack winked and gestured for her to start her distraction. She pulled lipstick out of her pocket and started putting it on. Jack's eyebrows shot up into his hair; he didn't understand why a woman like River would need lipstick to be distracting. The Master just looked bored. Amy giggled while Rory shook his head.

"And which one is that?"

"Oh, daddy, just the hallucinogenic."

Rory nodded and leaned against the back wall. Jack threw the TARDIS key back around his neck as River walked to the door. "Hello," she called. "Is anyone there? I would love to go to the loo."

A guard appeared out of the blue and let her out of the cell, carefully watching the other two occupants that he could see. Before he could close the door, River kissed him. When she pulled away, he had a dreamy look on his face.

"Now there's a good boy. Go on, scoot!" She shooed him away, waited until she felt Jack's hand on her shoulder and went back to the cell. It was up to Jack, now.

Jack silently made his way down the hall and up the stairs. The room Rassilon and the Doctor were in was right off the staircase. He didn't see the Doctor when he walked in, all he saw was Rassilon. He was facing Jack, and his expression was one of someone trying to decide how to get rid of a horrible problem.

Jack walked, glad for his time as a spy, catlike to the Timelord. He hoisted the gun onto his shoulder and aimed the needlepoint at Rassilon's neck. He lunged, plunging the needle into Rassilon's neck and pulling the trigger simultaneously. Rassilon stared at Jack before turning white and collapsing. The vials were nearly half empty when Jack pulled the needle out of the dead man's neck. He turned and saw the Rani staring at Rassilon in horror. She shrieked and fell to the ground.

River, Amy, and Rory ran up the stairs. The Rani looked up.

"You," she snarled, launching herself at River.

River pulled out a gun out of the holster she was wearing and shot. The Rani fell to the ground and began to glow a soft golden color. River shot her again, her face a blank mask. Jack ripped the necklace from around his neck and ran to them, carefully skirting the Rani's body.

River looked up at him. "Where's the Doctor?"

Jack sprinted off with a single shout of Doctor. A groan from the opposite direction had him skidding to a stop, spinning, and taking off where the noise came from. Jack nearly ran into a wall, catching himself with his hands.

"I could've sworn… I thought I heard his voice." He turned around, back to the wall he had just collided with. The wall moved to the side, revealing the Doctor chained to the wall. River screamed, and Amy choked on a sob, leaning into Rory. Jack frowned.

"Wha—oh…" He turned around and saw the Doctor.

The Timelord raised his head and smiled. "Always good to see you, Jack."

Jack stifled a laugh. "Doctor, I think you need a haircut… And an emergency wardrobe intervention. A bowtie? Really?"

The Doctor threw back his head and laughed. "Bowties," he informed Jack, "are cool. Hence, I wear them now.

River, could you work some sonic magic? I need to pass out hugs."

River shook her head, smiled, and did as her love asked.

The Master wandered up the stairs sheepishly and waved. The Doctor beamed as Jack scowled. The Doctor scooped the other Timelord up into a huge bearhug and grinned. "I've missed you... Koschei," he whispered.

The Master smiled. "You've forgiven me, then?"

"There's nothing to forgive. You were always my best friend."

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><p>AN: Goodbye, fair readers. I've loved writing this for your, and every review I got was a joy and lit up my heart. I'll be back, but I need to pour out my feelings into an angst-ridden Sherlock fanfic. "Laters!"


	17. An Alternate End

Ok, this is mainly a long, detailed-ish rewrite of the ending, which some people asked for. Maybe later I'll do a bit of an epilogue, showing what the Doctor does about the Master and starts his next crazy adventure with the three Ponds, but I'm not sure. I think I'll let you guys decide that! This is the longest chapter I've written, and I was thinking of spreading it out over 2 ending chapters, but I felt like you guys should have this all in one :)  
>Enjoy, and I don't own. The evil mastermind, Moffat, does :P<p>

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><p>Jack nodded once when River and the Master had finished explaining the plan. It was flawless, except it would require a not-so-flawless piece of technology.<p>

"You really think _this_," he held up a glistening piece of metal on a chain, "will keep whoever it is upstairs from noticing me? This barely kept him," he jerked his thumb at the Master, "from seeing us!"

The Master sighed; the human race really could be quite thick. "Throw it over here."

Jack glared at him but did what he asked. The Master caught the key gracefully in his left hand and pulled his laser screwdriver out of his pocket with the other.

"Who'd have sonic…" Jack muttered, and the Master flashed him a quick grin before pointing and pushing a fancy button. The tip of the screwdriver began glowing, and the key started smoking. Jack leaned against the wall.

"You have no idea what's running through my head right now…"

"Jack!" River admonished him.

He held up his hands in surrender. "Just putting my thoughts out there. No need to kill me."

The Master threw the key back to Jack. "Try it on," he ordered.

Jack—for once without complaint—did as he was told and slipped the chain over his head. Amy, who had been staring between him and the Master for the entirety of the conversation, looked from Jack—or where he had been—to the Master.

"What'd you do to that key-thing? He's vanished!"

"I… upgraded it a bit," the Master giggled.

Jack smiled widely and took the key from around his neck. "This is amazing!"

Amy's eyes widened, and she hit Rory's arm a couple of times. "Did you—"

Rory nodded, dumbfounded. "Yeah… Yeah, I did."

Jack looked at him. "I'll be able to get to Rassilon before he even realizes what hit him."

Rory raised his eyebrows. "What are you going to do? Flirt with him to death?"

Jack reached into the pack he had thrown on the floor and pulled out a large gun and a briefcase. He knelt on the floor, opened the briefcase, and pulled out four vials with different colored liquids in each one. He slotted each vial into a different hole in the top of the gun with a click. With a closer look, Amy and Rory were able to tell that the end of a gun was a needle.

"What does it do," Amy asked.

"The only way to kill a Timelord stone dead. Stab him with this, pull the trigger, and he can't even regenerate. Shoot him? Well that works, but it has to be a special gun, and you have to shoot him while he's regenerating. Usually not an option. Torchwood developed this technology, but it was destroyed in the Year that Never Was, so we created a new one, refined the technology," Jack explained. "I just have to get close enough to him."

River smiled sardonically. "I've always been pretty good at distractions. Leave it to me."

Jack winked and gestured for her to start her distraction. She pulled lipstick out of her pocket and started putting it on. Jack's eyebrows shot up into his hair; he didn't understand why a woman like River would need lipstick to be distracting. The Master just looked bored. Amy giggled while Rory shook his head.

"And which one is that?"

"Oh, daddy, just the hallucinogenic." River wriggled her eyebrows at Jack's bemused look.

"Hallucinogenic? Use that on all your boyfriends?"

"Oh, Jack dear, do you really want to flirt with me right now? Knowing who I am." River's gaze turned steely and Jack glanced at the floor sheepishly."

"All right, all right. I'm not used to this…" He muttered.

After watching the proceedings, Rory nodded and leaned against the back wall. Jack threw the TARDIS key back around his neck as River walked to the door. "Hello," she called. "Is anyone there? I would love to go to the loo."

A guard appeared out of the blue and let her out of the cell, carefully watching the other two occupants that he could see. Before he could close the door, River kissed him. When she pulled away, he had a dreamy look on his face.

"Now there's a good boy. Go on, scoot!" She shooed him away, waited until she felt Jack's hand on her shoulder and went back to the cell. It was up to Jack, now.

Jack silently made his way down the hall and up the stairs. The room Rassilon and the Doctor were in was right off the staircase. He didn't see the Doctor when he walked in, all he saw was Rassilon. He was facing Jack, and his expression was one of someone trying to decide how to get rid of a horrible problem.

Jack walked, glad for his time as a spy, catlike to the Timelord. He hoisted the gun onto his shoulder and aimed the needlepoint at Rassilon's neck. He lunged, but Rassilon turned before he was able to pull the trigger. The Timelord swatted at Jack, and strode to the table where a silver gauntlet lay. Jack fell to the ground, cradling the gun—it was made mostly of glass. Rassilon spun around to face Jack, gauntlet on his right hand. Jack's eyes widened, and he set the gun on the ground; he knew he'd require both hands to fight this alien.

Rassilon continued striding towards Jack, looking for all the world like an angel—_or demon,_ Jack thought grimly—of death. _Well, here goes nothing._ He took a deep breath and ran at Rassilon. The Timelord smirked and flung him aside like an insect. _How the hell—? He didn't even touch me! Some backup would be lovely right about now… _Of course, real life didn't work the way it did in those stupid shows on tv where the help comes just as the dashing hero is about to die a dramatic—and handsome—death. Jack pushed himself up. If he was going to die by this Timelord's hands, he was going to do it standing up.

"Hm, no witty lines from the famous Face of Boe," question Rassilon, smirking.

"Concentrating on how best to… You know, never mind. I'm sure you wouldn't want to know." Jack smirked right back at him. Two could play at that game.

Rassilon shook his head as he advanced on Jack. "I've grown tired of this game. Your atoms will be scattered throughout space and time in a matter of seconds. I hope you have your will in order."

Jack started inching backwards, looking at the gun in his peripheral vision. If he could just—get some air. Jack started choking. He looked over at Rassilon, whose gloved fist was clenched. The alien was sweating a bit with the difficulty of strangling Jack. Jack chuckled, knowing exactly how difficult he was to kill.

"Feeling a bit weak, oh high and mighty Timelord?"

Rassilon snarled and snapped his arm to the side, releasing Jack's throat. Jack took in a deep gasping breath and slid towards the gun. Jack's arms wrapped around the gun, his finger on the trigger, when Rassilon flung him to the other end of the room. And Jack felt his neck snap.

When he came out of the blackness, Rassilon was standing over him, staring at him like some sort of exhibit. "Like what you see?" Jack wriggled his eyebrows, and Rassilon scoffed. Feeling returned to Jack's fingers, and he felt the trigger of the gun right where it had to be.

"Let's not be trivial, Jack."

"Fine, then. I'll cut to the chase." Jack lunged, swinging the gun forward, and managing to lodge it somewhere near Rassilon's collarbone. He pulled the trigger, and Rassilon's eyes grew wide. The Timelord fell backwards and landed on the ground with a thud. Jack wiped some sweat off of his forehead, staring warily at the unmoving form on the ground. He turned and saw the Rani staring at Rassilon in horror. She shrieked.

"How _dare _you? You won't live another day, you _human_," She ran at Jack, who knocked her down.

"Why are you defending him, anyway? He exiled you, didn't he?"

"Yes, and he brought me back, reinstated my labs, and my abilities to experiment on other planets." At this, she launched herself at him again.

Jack made a face and ducked, but she caught his head, dragging him down with her as she fell.

River, Amy, and Rory ran up the stairs. The Rani looked up.

"You," she snarled, launching herself at River.

River pulled out a gun out of the holster she was wearing and shot. The Rani fell to the ground and began to glow a soft golden color. River shot her again, her face a blank mask. Jack ripped the necklace from around his neck and ran to them, carefully skirting the Rani's body.

River looked up at him. "Where's the Doctor?"

Jack sprinted off with a single shout of Doctor. A groan from the opposite direction had him skidding to a stop, spinning, and taking off where the noise came from. Jack nearly ran into a wall, catching himself with his hands.

"I could've sworn… I thought I heard his voice." He turned around, back to the wall he had just collided with. The wall moved to the side, revealing the Doctor chained to the wall. River screamed, and Amy choked on a sob, leaning into Rory. Jack frowned.

"Wha—oh…" He turned around and saw the Doctor.

The Timelord raised his head and smiled. "Always good to see you, Jack."

Jack looked at the newly regenerated Timelord. His face was drenched in sweat and blood ran down his face, but Jack couldn't see a cut anywhere. The Doctor's hair was plastered to his face, and the effort of holding his head up by himself was almost too much for him to bear. He was almost glad of the chains on his wrists and ankles; if they weren't there, he wasn't sure he would be able to stand on his own.

"Doctor, how…? Why…?" Jack sighed and started over with a different line of questioning. "How do I get you down?"

"Sonic screwdriver, left inside pocket."

Jack stuck his hand in the Doctor's pocket and pulled out the screwdriver. He pointed it one by one at the chains holding the Doctor aloft and pressed the button. The screwdriver hummed four times before the Doctor fell to his feet, and then to the ground. Rory and River ran forward to help the Doctor up.

The Doctor smiled wearily at them. "How's this for an adventure, then, Ponds?"

"Don't you ever, _ever _do something like this again. Or I _will _kill you," River promised, tears in her eyes.

"Hey…" The Doctor whispered, forcing his hand up to wipe the forming tears away and leaving it to rest on River's face.

River leaned into the touch a little before clearing her throat. "Do you think you can walk on your own?"

The Doctor nodded, and slowly, River and Rory let go of him. He took a few steps forward before stumbling right into Jack.

"Now, here's the greeting I was expecting," Jack laughed. The Doctor shook his head at Jack's antics, getting his soaked hair into his eyes.

Jack wiped his friend's hair back from his face and stifled a laugh. "Doctor, I think you need a haircut…" He set the Timelord back on his feet. "And an emergency wardrobe intervention. A bowtie? Really?"

The Doctor threw back his head and laughed. "Bowties," he informed Jack, "are cool. Hence, I wear them now."

The Master wandered up the stairs sheepishly and waved. The Doctor beamed as Jack scowled. The Doctor scooped the other Timelord up into a huge bear hug and grinned. "I've missed you... Koschei," he whispered.

The Master smiled. "You've forgiven me, then?"

"There's nothing to forgive. You were always my best friend."

* * *

><p>Hope you liked! And as always, click that little button down there and tell me what you thought! I love you all, and it's been a fun ride. Unless you want me to write an epilogue. then it's still a fun ride :)<p> 


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